High School
by rotg5311
Summary: Avengers High School AU. Sorry, im bad at summaries. Please just read it. It's Loki-centric though.
1. Chapter 1

Going to a different school was always hard. Especially when the school was in another country. One day Loki was in England, the next he was in America. Just like that. His father had given them a three days notice before they moved. Not that it was a problem for Loki. He had never really had any friends, so no painful goodbyes. Most of the kids at school bullied him, so he wouldn't miss it. His only problem was with going to America. Not only would he be the new kid, but he'd also be the foreign kid. Loki had a feeling the kids at his new school wouldn't be anymore accepting of who he was than the ones at his old school.

He was surprisingly pleased with their new house. His father had money, only the best was good enough for his family. So, like their old house, their new one was also a mansion. Soon enough, however, Loki discovered all the secret passages and hiding places. It was an old house filled with surprises. The kids here were currently on their Christmas vacation, so Loki had about a week to settle into his new life. Christmas came and went, the same as every year. Loki got a wonderful scarf from his mother, which was his favorite present. It was a lovely shade of green. His father looked disappointed at the scarf. Loki knew his father disapproved of his wardrobe. Actually, he seemed to disapprove of everything about Loki. Not his mother though. She had always been there. She would always accept Loki, and he knew that. He loved her more than anything in the world.

Then the day came that Loki had to go to school. Their driver drove him and his brother, Thor. The entire way, Thor was talking excitedly at Loki. Loki pretended to listen, but he was too nervous to actually pay attention. He wasn't overly fond of people, especially when they were new or came in large groups. And now, he was going to be seeing a lot of new people.

It was a big school. A lot of people went here because it was a regional vocational high school. Busses were pulling in and dropping kids off. Loki and Thor got out in the front and walked in. There were a lot of kids inside. Lots of different types of kids. Loki followed Thor into the office. There were people waiting for them, of course. When you had their father, people didn't tend to keep you waiting. They were quickly introduced to the secretaries, the principal, Nick Fury, and the two students waiting there for them.

The first was a young girl named Jane Foster. She was in all Thor's classes, so she would be showing him around the school for a few days. Thor looked extremely pleased at that news. The second was a boy. He had short blonde hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a purple shirt, with a black jacket, and black pants. Loki couldn't help but think he needed a new clothing selection. Turns out his name was Clint Barton, and since they were in all the same classes, he would be showing Loki around. Then Thor and Loki were handed their schedules and sent to explore before class started.


	2. Chapter 2

Loki quickly found out that Clint wasn't much of a talker. Which was good, because he wasn't much of a talker either. Clint showed him around, pointing out where everything was. The bathrooms, the cafeteria, the library, the court yard, which classes were theirs. Then the bell rang, and Clint led them to their first class. Dr. Selvig, their physics teacher, was old. But, sure enough, he was good at what he taught.

Luckily there was an open seat next to Clint. Loki didn't think he'd feel comfortable with anyone else. So he sat down and waited as all the kids came in and took their seats. When the bell rang again, indicating that class had officially started, Dr. Selvig looked directly at Loki and smiled.

"Ahh what do we have here?" He asked "A new student? What's your name, boy?"

"I'm Loki" He replied, timidly. Now everyone had their eyes on him. Loki felt mildly uncomfortable.

"Nice to meet you." Dr. Selvig said before starting his lesson. Loki was caught up in everything when the bell rang again. So he followed Clint to history class. Ms. Carter was a beautiful woman, there was no doubt about that. She had an air of confidence that Loki didn't see too often in woman. She was better than everyone and she knew it. Loki liked her. Ms. Carter walked over to his desk and introduced herself. After a brief polite conversation, Loki heard the door close. Ms. Carter turned around.

A scrawny blonde boy was standing there, looking like a deer caught in headlights. The teacher walked over to him and said "Your late." The note of disappointment was evident in her voice.

The boy looked a little sad. "Yes ma'am. Sorry. It wont happen again, ma'am." She motioned him to his seat and he went over and sat down, cheeks slightly pink from the embarrassment of getting in trouble in front of a room full of your peers.\

Clint leaned over and whispered in Loki's ear "That's Steve Rogers. He has a crush on Ms. Carter." Then Loki and Clint laughed a little together. The rest of the class was pretty uneventful. They were learning about the Holocaust. Loki didn't like that. How could someone think it was okay to kill an entire race?

Their third class was math with Mr. Coulson. Apparently Clint was pretty good friends with the teacher, which Loki found a little odd. Halfway through the class was lunch. Good thing too, because Loki was starving. Clint and Loki got food and sat down at a table. They were quickly joined by a red headed girl.

"Hey Clint." She said as she was sitting down.

"Hey." He replied, then gestured at Loki. "This is Loki. He's new. Loki, this is Natasha."

"Hi." Loki greeted her.

"So where are you from?" She asked.

"He's from England." Clint answered for Loki. "He even has the accent!"

Then the boy from history sat down next to Natasha. "Hey guys." he said.

"Hey, Steve." Said Natasha. Then she pointed at the raven haired boy. "Did you meet Clint's new friend, Loki?"

"Nice to meet you, I'm Steve." He reached out and shook his hand. Obviously this boy had extremely good manners. For the rest of lunch, they talked. Loki less than others, but he still was part of the conversation. Loki decided these people weren't so bad after all. He was beginning to like this school already. But he should've know not to enjoy it. Whenever he's happy, things go wrong. So, he really shouldn't have been surprised when a boy sat down next to Natasha. Suddenly, everyone of his new friends seemed tense.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey, Red. What's up?" He asked.

"Tony." She looked him straight in the eyes. "Go away before I castrate you."

The boy, obviously named Tony, seemed momentarily shocked before he gave her a devilish grin. Then he looked at Loki. "Just wanted to meet the new kid. Hi I'm Tony Stark. What's your name?"

"Loki." He said, quietly. Tony seemed like the exact kind of person he didn't like. Loud and arrogant.

"Well, Loki, its nice to meet you." He said, winking. Loki felt his heart stop. Tony was drop-dead gorgeous. And he winked at him.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" Steve asked with a look of disgust on his face.

"Hey, don't-" Tony was cut off by a hand on his shoulder.

"Stark!" Principle Fury said in a warning tone. Loki got the feeling that Steve and Tony had gotten into fights before. "I think you'd better move."

"Yeah yeah yeah" Tony said before getting up and muttering "eye patch" under his breath.

When lunch was finally over, Clint and Loki headed back to math. Then the last class of the day was English. The teacher was Ms. Hill. She was also pretty, but not as pretty as Ms. Carter. Clint briefly informed him that Ms. Hill and Mr. Coulson were dating. When school was finally over, Clint handed him a paper with his number on it and told Loki to text him. That made Loki happy. He wasn't used to this. He had never really had friends.

When he got in the car, Thor was practically bouncing in his seat with a smile on his face. "The Lady Jane has agreed to go on a date with me this Friday night." That was just like Thor. He was a ladies man, he always had been. Girls just seemed to fall all over him. Then Thor told Loki all about his day, making sure not to leave out any details. Apparently Thor had made a lot of friends, which didn't surprise Loki at all. Thor was just a people person.

When they got home, their mother came swooping in to hug each of them, planting a kiss on their cheeks. She asked about their day. She wanted to know if they liked their knew school, if they made any friends, if anything interesting had happened. Thor told her just what he had told Loki. Loki, however, just told her that he liked the school, he made a few friends, and nothing particularly note worth had happened today.

"Oh," Loki added after he remembered "The principle and father have something in common, you know."

Thor chuckled. "Oh and what would that be?" Frigga asked.

"They both have one eye." Thor told her. Then the two boys erupted into a fit of laughter. Frigga tried to keep the smile off her face.

Loki went up to his room to do his homework. After finishing it with relative ease, he took out his phone to text the new number.

_** Hello **_He texted.

_ Loki? _Was the reply.

_** Yes.**_

_ Hey is it ok if I give Natasha and Steve your number?_

_** Of course.**_

They continued talking and pretty soon Natasha and Steve were also texting him, too. Loki was extremely happy. He had friends. Not Thor's friends that had to put up with Loki because they were brothers, but actual friends who liked him for him and not for Thor.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day, Loki was excited to go to school. When he met up with Clint, there already someone with him. A small boy with unruly brown hair and glasses. He had a purple shirt on with green pants. Loki was introduced to the boy, whose name turned out to be Bruce Banner. Turns out Bruce was in their math class and physics class. He had been absent the day before. Bruce was just as quiet as Clint. Loki figured he liked him well enough. Bruce just had this sort of Zen vibe around him that Loki found calming.

And today was just like yesterday. Go to class with Clint, have lunch with Clint Natasha, and Steve. But Bruce ate with them today. Turns out he was a vegetarian like Loki. Later that night, he got a text from Bruce, and he smiled. It was nice to have friends.

The rest of the week went by pretty much like the first two days had. And on Friday when Clint texted him asking if he wanted to sleep over, Loki practically flew down the stairs to get permission from his mother. He ran into the kitchen looking for her.

"Can I sleep over my friends house?" He asked slowly, enjoying the words. Frigga looked mildly surprised. This was the first time Loki had ever asked.

"Which friend?" She asked.

"Clint."

After a few questions of where he lived, who would be there, and when would Loki be home, She finally said yes. An hour later, Loki was knocking on Clint's door. The door flew open and Loki was dragged inside.

"Hey guys, Loki's here!" Clint yelled into the other room. Loki heard a chorus of Hey Loki's in reply. Clint grabbed his stuff. "I'll go put this upstairs. Everyone else is in the living room."

So as Clint ran upstairs, Loki went into the living room. He was greeted with a mess. Pillows and blankets were spread everywhere. There were various bowls of snacks on the floor. Natasha was sprawled out on the couch, nursing a soda can. Steve was in the recliner, eating popcorn. Bruce was sitting on the floor in front of the TV. They were watching some show that Loki had never seen before. There was an empty love seat, so Loki sat down on it. Clint came back in the room and handed him a can of soda, then sat down next to him.

"So what are you guys watching?" Loki asked, examining the show.

"Supernatural." Everyone else said in unison. Then they stared at Loki's blank expression.

"Wait. You've never seen it before?" Natasha asked. When Loki shook his head, she gripped one hand over her heart and put the other one over her face and threw her head back. "That is unacceptable!"

"Well, I guess we'll just have to make him watch it." Clint said, grabbing the remote. "Episode one."


	5. Chapter 5

Loki watched the first three episodes intently. This was a surprisingly good show. It was just the sort of thing he was interested in. It made him happy that his new friends liked it too. After that, they decided to go for a walk. It was dark out already, but apparently they did this often. Loki was having more fun than he ever imagined.

Then they went to the pizza parlor because everyone was starving. They ended up pushing two tables together and ordering three large pizzas. Everything was fine until Thor came in. And he wasn't alone. Jane was with him, too. Also there were two other girls he didn't recognize. Then there was Tony.

Once Thor saw Loki, his face lit up. "Brother!" The blonde shouted. "What are you doing here?"

Loki was quiet for a while. Then Clint spoke up. "You guys are brothers? You look nothing alike."

"Yeah, point break, that's your brother?" Tony asked Thor.

"Yes, friend Tony." Thor said, then turned back to Loki. "You did not tell me you would be out."

"I did not know I had to." Loki was mad now. He didn't have to report to Thor on everything he did.

"Brother I didn't mean-" But Loki cut him off.

"Next time I will be sure to tell you what I'm doing, when I'm doing it, Mother." Loki stood up and glanced at his friends. "I'll be back. I just need some fresh air."

He glared daggers at the big blonde oaf before stepping outside. He had all of two minutes peace before someone came up next to him. He expected Thor, but was shocked to see none other than Tony Stark.

"Hey Loki." He said. When Loki didn't say anything back, Tony continued talking. "Listen…I know you probably don't like me. I get it, your friends in there told you bad things about me, right?"

"Well they haven't exactly been preaching about you" Loki said and Tony laughed. "So what do you want?"

"What, cant I just say hi?" Tony laughed at the look of exhaustion on Loki's face. "Ok ok. I wanted to ask you a favor."

"Why would I ever do anything for you?" Loki scoffed.

Tony thought for a moment before saying "Because I'm friends with your brother. And if you don't help me, I'll tell him and then he'll give you those puppy eyes until you say yes." Tony smirked at Loki's sigh.

"That's a dreadfully annoying thing, you know." The green eyed boy sighed again. "What do you want me to do?"

"Well first, I have a question." Tony suddenly looked slightly embarrassed. "About Steve."

"Oh?" Then Loki realized. "Oh!"

"Yeah. Shut up, ok?" Tony crossed his arms. "So?"

"So what?" Loki wanted to him to say it.

"So," The brunette shuffled awkwardly. "Is he, you know…gay?"

Loki knew his laugh was pure evil. Tony just glared to him, cheeks slightly flushing. "Is that why you're mean to him? You want him to notice you?" Tony looked like he wanted to punch Loki in the face. "Oh this is glorious news! I don't know Stark. But I can find out. For a price."

If looks could kill, Loki was sure he would be dead ten times over. "I'll see if he's interested if you stop picking on him. Stop bullying all of them. I can guarantee that Steve wont like you if you keep on being a pompous ass."

"Ha. Yeah right. I'm amazing." Loki just stared. "Ok fine, I guess I could be a little nicer to all of you."

After that, Bruce, Clint, Steve, and Natasha came out. They put all the leftover pizza in a box. Bruce looked from Tony to Loki and said "We're leaving…if you guys are done talking?"

"Yeah. Lets go." Loki nodded at Tony, who turned and went back inside.


	6. Chapter 6

When they were about halfway down the road Natasha finally said "What was that all about?"

"He wanted a favor." Everyone looked at him like he had five heads. "What?"

"That's Tony Stark." Clint told Loki. "He doesn't ask for favors."

"Well apparently he does."

"What did he want?" Bruce asked, curiosity oozing in his voice.

"He wanted me to find out something for him." Loki smirked. He was enjoying this.

"What like spy? On who? Us?" Natasha joked. But stopped laughing when she saw the serious look on Loki's face. "Wait, seriously?"

"Well, not all of you." Loki grinned. "Just one."

"Who?" Natasha and Clint said in unison.

"None other than the amazing Steve Rogers." Loki gestured to Steve like a show girl presenting a prize. Everyone stopped walking now.

"What did he want to know?" Steve said, suddenly defensive.

"Oh well it was nothing really." Loki shrugged. "He was just wondering if you were gay."

Steve turned bright red and managed to squeak out "What?" Suddenly everyone was mad. Loki laughed. "Oh don't worry. You misunderstood." They seemed to relax a little before Loki added "He wanted to know whether or not you're interested in him." Loki couldn't help it, he doubled over in laughter at the look of shock on Steve's face. Pretty soon tears were streaming down his face. He looked over to find Clint in a similar state, Natasha laughing too, and Bruce trying to hide in the giggles. Steve just looked mortified. "What?" He repeated.

"Loki." Clint gasped through his laughter. "Are you serious, man?"

"Indeed." Everyone laughed some more. "So, Steve. Is the feeling mutual?"

If it was possible, Steve turned redder. He stuttered a little bit before Natasha said "I'll take that as a yes. Aww Steve and Tony!"

"Stony!" Clint yelled. Steve looked horribly embarrassed. Loki felt a little bad. "Oh that's just too cute."

"Wait, Steve," Bruce said quietly as if just realizing something. "Does any one else know you're gay?"

Steve looked on the verge of tears and shook his head. Oh. Steve was just pulled out of the closet in front of all of his friends. While they laughed. Loki saw how this could be interpreted in a bad way. So he stepped forward and placed a hand on Steve's shoulder. "You know, I am too."

That seemed to shock everyone too. "What you guys didn't know?" They shook their heads. "Well you've obviously never seen my scarf collection!" Then they laughed some more.


	7. Chapter 7

Pretty soon they had made their way back to Clint's house. They watched a few more episodes of Supernatural before deciding to play truth or dare. Clint was dared to sing a song. He had a beautiful voice. They found out Natasha wasn't a virgin and had been with both men and women. Bruce was dared to give Natasha a lap dance, which was awkward and hilarious and left everyone in tears clutching their stomachs. When they asked Steve about his so called crush on Ms. Carter, he turned red again and explained that he liked her but didn't like her like her. He was more interested in her military career before becoming a teacher. Apparently he wanted to join the army after he graduated.

Then it was Loki's turn. At first he wasn't sure whether to pick truth or dare. Both could be equally embarrassing. But, in the end, he chose truth. So they wanted to know when was the last time he's kissed somebody.

"I haven't." Loki said quietly.

"Wait, never?" Natasha looked shocked. "But you're so cute. Why?"

"Back at my old school I never really had any friends." Loki told them. "I was always the outsider. So, it just never happened."

Everyone looked a little sad at that, nut continued playing. When it was Clint's turn again, he chose dare. His eyes went wide at Natasha's devilish grin. He tried changing to truth, but she told him that was against the rules. Clint looked mortified at the scenarios in his head.

"I dare you to make out with Loki." Natasha said with a smirk on her face.

Clint dead panned. "What?" His cheeks were slightly flushed.

"Oh unless you're too chicken shit to do it." Natasha said. Clint wasn't about to be called a little bitch for not doing a dare, so before Loki knew what was happening, a pair of soft lips were pressed up against his own. Loki inhaled a breath in shock, but started kissing back. Clint shifted his body so he was kneeling in front of Loki, one hand on the raven haired boys thigh, the other hand cupping his cheek. Loki, unsure of where to place his hands, settled for putting them on Clint's chest, gripping the cloth there. Clint's tongue swiped across Loki's bottom lip, demanding access. Loki opened his mouth willingly. Clint' tongue entered eagerly. It was a weird sensation for Loki, since it was his first time. Who would've thought that the feeling of someone else's tongue in your mouth could feel so good. But, too soon for Loki's liking, Clint was pulling away and sitting back in his original spot across from Loki.

"Well, Barton. You've got more balls than I thought." Natasha said staring at him, deciding not to mention the flush in both the men's cheeks. Loki had the feeling she knew something he didn't. Loki didn't like that. But then Clint dared Bruce to pick out a Disney movie for them to watch. Bruce finally settled on The Lion King 2. Everyone was pleased with his choice. Somehow they all ended up singing the songs at the top of their lungs. Because everyone knew the second movie was better than the first. Clint and Natasha even went as far as acting out certain scenes from the movie. It was immature, childish, and super fun.


	8. Chapter 8

Finally around three in the morning, they decided to go to sleep. Good thing too, because Loki had his legs tucked underneath him, and his head resting on his arm, almost asleep. So they all went upstairs. Natasha got the bed, it only seemed fair, since she was a lady. The four boys climbed into their sleeping bags on the floor. They said their goodnights and went to sleep. Loki was almost asleep when he heard someone shift next to him. It was too dark to tell who it was, but he knew when he heard Clint say "Goodnight, Loki." Then he felt a tender kiss on his forehead before Clint went back to his sleeping bag.

The next morning Loki woke up confused. Last night he had been so tired that he fell asleep almost instantly after Clint kissed him. But now he was wide awake. And confused. So very confused. Clint was his friend. His best friend actually. Loki hadn't had many friends before, but he was pretty sure friends don't do that to each other. So then why did Clint?

For a second Loki thought that maybe Clint liked him. Then, he realized how ridiculous it sounded. Loki knew Clint and Natasha had something going on. He never really asked either of them because he felt it was none of their business. Besides, Loki also knew he wasn't the best looking kid at school. He knew Clint could get any guy or girl he wanted with his looks alone, never mind his personality. Loki also doubted Clint was gay.

He heard someone stretching and a loud groan. Looking over, he saw a wild mop of red. "Hey Natasha." Loki greeted her. From the look she was giving him, he could tell she wasn't a morning person. The next person to wake up was Bruce. His hair looked a lot neater that Natasha's. Loki laughed because usually Bruce had the messiest hair, which obviously wasn't the case today, considering Steve also woke up with dreadful bed-head. Clint was the last one to wake up, and that was only after they had all stared at him spread eagle on the floor for a good seven minutes.

Apparently Clint wasn't a morning person either since he was sporting the same look as Natasha. The first thing he did was throw his pillow at Natasha which hit her square in the face. In the short time Loki had known Natasha, he noticed that nothing really surprised her. She always seemed to observe things just enough that she was never shocked. Loki also noticed that the only one who could ever catch Natasha off guard was Clint. And that was on rare occasions. This just so happened to be one of those time.

Bruce was the first to laugh, followed by Steve and Loki. Clint quickly hid in his sleeping bag as Natasha dove off the bed and jumped on him. When she finally managed to wrestle the top cover out of Clint's grasp, Loki half expected her to start throwing punches. He did not ,however, expect her to tickle him. But she did. Natasha started at his ribs, worked down his sides, and onto his belly before Clint managed to knock her off. Before he could start tickling her, she was up and running. By the time Clint got up to chase, Natasha was out the door. Loki heard a door slam, then the click of a lock. Everyone was still laughing as Clint grumbled, "Not fair. She knows I'm really ticklish."

Loki had momentarily forgotten the events that occurred last night until Clint looked at him. Loki's stomach did a little flip. Clint just smirked. "Hey guys." Steve said as he rolled up his sleeping bag. "Does anyone know what time it is?"

Loki fished around in his sleeping bag for his phone. He had fallen asleep with it in his pocket last night, but at some point it fell out. Now it was MIA. After he found it and checked the time, he nearly ate the heart that leapt into his throat. It was 1:00. His mother said he had to be home by 11:00. He had seven missed calls, three texts from Thor, and two voice mails.


	9. Chapter 9

One of the missed calls was from Thor. Obviously when his parents couldn't get a hold of Loki, they told Thor to, hoping he'd answer. The first text said "_**Brother, why are you not home?**_" It arrived at 11:15. The second text said "_**Please call mother, she is worried.**_" And it was sent at 11:30. The third text was thee worst for Loki. "_**Father is furious. Where are you?**_" It arrived at 12:45.

Now Loki was hesitant to listen to his voice mails. If his father was mad, then he knew he was in deep trouble. His mother had called five times and left one of the messages. It just made Loki feel awful.

"Loki," His mother said over the phone. The worry already evident in her voice with just that word. "Honey, why haven't you called yet? Please call me when you get this." The second message was from his father, and Loki knew he was screwed. "Son, come home." It was all he said. He didn't even sound angry. But Loki knew better. Once he went home, all hell would break loose. He was dreading it.

Loki started rolling up his sleeping bag when Bruce asked "Who was on the phone?" Loki looked up at his bedraggled friend and told him, "I'm late. That was my family. I was supposed to be home two hours ago. I need to leave now."

Loki started packing everything he had unpacked last night, which wasn't much. By now Natasha was back in the room. Evidently she had been in the bathroom, since her hair didn't look like hell anymore. "Now?" She asked, slightly disappointed. "Cant you call them and ask to spend a little longer here?"

She looked over at Clint, Loki followed her gaze. What he saw was a very sad looking blonde. "No." Loki told them. "I'm sorry, but they're furious. Especially Father."

Loki made a quick call to their driver, asking for a ride. Even he seemed mad at Loki's absence. Loki waved at Bruce and Steve. They waved back with replies of "Bye." and "Text us." Natasha gave him a hug, which was a new thing for Loki. No one besides his mother and Thor had done that. He gave her a tiny squeeze in return. She said goodbye. Then he looked at Clint. He looked like a kicked puppy, making Loki's already mad mood, ten times worse. Sure, the rest of his friends looked sad, but none of them looked as disappointed as Clint.

"I'll walk you out, okay?" He told Loki, already heading out of the room. Loki followed him out into the hall and down the stairs. Clint stepped outside and didn't talk until he knew Loki was out there with him. "Sorry I got you in trouble."

"No it's not your fault." Loki reassured him. "It was a lot of fun for my first sleep over."

Clint looked mortified. "Your first?" He exclaimed. "Really?"

"Like I said, I never really had friends before you guys."

Clint seemed like he was just realizing that when Loki said no friends, he meant no friends at all. "So what was it like over there? You know, in England."

Loki thought for a moment before saying, "Different. The schools, the stores, the people." Clint looked at him, expecting more of an answer. "They were mean. To me, not Thor of course. He's always been popular. I mean, his face looks like a super model, he's built like a God. Everyone thinks he's funny. And nice. The guys want to be him, the girls want to be with him. And I was just, me. Small, quiet, shy. So, needless to say, I had a lot of bullies."

"What! Why?" Clint asked, seemingly shocked. "You're really cool. Who would want to bully you?" Clint's cheeks flushed a little. He looked like he was about to add something, when a car pulled up in front of the house. Loki said "That's my ride." He started walking away before he got the urge to do something crazy. He leaned in before Clint could react and placed a kiss on his cheek, telling him "Goodbye, Clint." Then he ran to the car, hoping the driver hadn't witnessed the kiss.


	10. Chapter 10

Whether or not his driver had seen that little show of affection, Loki didn't know. The driver hadn't said anything. Loki didn't know if the man was just minding his own business, or if he actually didn't see anything. It was a relief to him though, considering he didn't know if he could live through the embarrassment of getting caught. He just hoped the driver didn't tell his father.

Looking back at it, Loki questioned what had made him do that. After all, it wasn't something one does to a friend. But a friend also didn't kiss a friend on the forehead and wish them a good night. Maybe it was just a Clint thing. Though, Loki didn't remember hearing him saying it to anyone else. The thought of Clint doing that to the others sent a pang through his heart. Jealousy? It couldn't be. That was absolutely preposterous. That would mean Loki was feeling something towards Clint. And he just didn't think that was a good idea. It could make things awkward if Clint found out, and Loki didn't want to risk losing a friend, when he had so little of them already.

Too soon for Loki's liking, he was pulling up in front of his house. Now Loki was ready to panic. He didn't know how his parents would react. He was especially dreading his mothers anger. It was something Loki rarely saw, she was always such a nice woman. He knew his father would be mad, he just didn't know to what extent. Grabbing his stuff, he walked out of the car and into the front door, only to be greeted by Thor.

His brother looked surprised to see him. Then pleased. Then angry. "Brother! What is the meaning of your tardiness?"

"Where is mother?" Loki asked, ignoring his brothers question.

"In fathers study." Thor replied, looking grave. "They are discussing you."

"Is it that bad?"

"Indeed. I suggest you go up there, before you worry them any further."

So Loki headed up the stairs, his stomach churning with each step. Briefly stopping to drop his belongings on his bed, he noticed something was wrong. He didn't have time to examine what it was, as he ran out of his room at the sound of yelling.

"BUT THAT'S THE PROBLEM, YOU NEVER THINK!" He heard his mother shouting. Instantly he knew it was bad, his mother didn't even raise her voice, never mind yelling.

"DON'T YELL AT ME, WOMAN." His father yelled back. Whatever his mother's reply was, was lost on her lips as Loki stumbled into the room. Instead she flung herself at her youngest son and wrapped her arms around him. "Oh, Loki. Why didn't you call and say you'd be home late?" He hugged his mother back, ready to reply when his fathers gruff voice said, "Don't coddle the boy, Frigga. There's no excuse for his this. He was given a time to return, and he failed to be home at said time."

Loki's mother released him and turned around. "I think you're over reacting, Odin."

"Over reacting?" His father scoffed. "How hard can it be to return home on time?"

"Father," Loki said, and instantly regretted it seeing the scathing look on the old mans face. "I can explain."

"Silence!" He told Loki. "Go to your room."

Loki did as he was told, throwing his mother an apologetic glance before retreating out of the room and down the hall to his bed room. Once he was there he flopped down on his bed. Now his father was yelling at his mother and it was all his fault. Loki waited for an hour for someone to come in and talk to him. Finally he gave up and decided to do his homework instead. It wasn't a lot of work, but Loki was so distracted that it took him almost an hour to complete.

Once he was done, he stared at the door, still waiting for it to open. When it finally did, he was both relieved and more nervous than before.


	11. Chapter 11

Luckily, it was his mother and not his father. Loki hadn't even realized he'd been holding his breath until he released it. His mother looked at him, anger flaring in her eyes briefly before returning to her naturally warm expression. "So why didn't you call?" She asked, getting right down to things.

Loki looked up, embarrassed. "I called for a ride as soon as I woke up." His mother looked at him for a long time before laughing. "What?" He asked, confused.

"We thought you were ignoring us. We didn't know you weren't awake. But, can you blame us? You're always the first person awake in the house."

"Well, to be fair, Mother, I was the first one awake there, too." Loki smiled, unable to stay serious while his mother looked absolutely cheery.

"Oh I can't be mad at you for _sleeping_." Then she paused before adding, "Though, your Father might not see it that way."

Loki sighed. Of course his father would make things difficult. He always did. Especially when it came to Loki. Loki knew he was his fathers least favorite son. And, as much as he hated to admit it, he was pretty sure his mother liked Thor better too. Loki usually tried to ignore that. But it got harder as he got older.

Thor was the athletic child. He was popular. He had a girlfriend. Their father knew Thor was destined for great things. And then there was Loki. Loki was smarter than Thor. He always had been and always will be, despite Loki being the youngest. But apparently brains didn't hold up to bronze. Loki also suspected he wasn't the favorite because he's gay. Of course his parents didn't know for sure, but they just assumed. Loki couldn't tell them. His father would be furious, but he was more scared of what his mother would do. He wasn't sure how she would act and that terrified him. Loki couldn't think of anything worse than his mothers rejection. So, he stayed in the closet. Not even Thor knew.

But now his friends did. His _friends_ knew. They hadn't rejected him. They didn't make a big deal out of it, which Loki was grateful for. He hadn't even planned on telling them. He only did so to make Steve feel more comfortable. Now he was glad he did. It felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

"Loki?" His mother asked, breaking him away from his thoughts. She was staring at him. Obviously he missed something. "Hmm?" He replied.

"I said I'll go explain things to your Father." She repeated her previous statement, kissed Loki on the forehead, and left the room.

That made Loki feel a lot better. Usually if his mother talked to his father, she could convince him to do anything. Even change his mind about the punishment Loki was to receive. Loki knew she couldn't convince his father to let Loki off with just a warning, but he was confident enough that his new punishment would be a lot better.

He got up to unpack his stuff he brought over Clint's. When he was finished, he took out his phone to text his friends. Before he could unlock it, his father came into his room with out knocking. _Rude._ Then he reached out and snatched Loki's phone out of his hands before saying, "You are grounded for a week. No phone. No TV. No hanging out with friends. You go to school, come home, and do chores. Whatever the maids need help with. Understood?"

Loki nodded in reply, not trusting himself to speak. He didn't want to say something stupid and end up being grounded for another week. All in all, his punishment wasn't that bad. It could always be worse. He would just have to tell them that his phone got taken away, so they wouldn't think he was ignoring them. Maybe they would just assume that was the case. Either way, he would see them on Monday, and he could explain everything to them then.


	12. Chapter 12

Turns out, he was wrong. It all started with Thor. He woke up late, so they left late. They got to school just as the bell was about to ring, so Loki didn't have time to go hang out with his friends. So instead, he headed towards his first class, when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned around to look at his brother.

"Brother," Thor said with a hint of a smile on his face, "Have you forgotten what kind of school we attend now?"

It took Loki a second before he remembered. This was a vocational high school. Meaning, every other week they switched classes. He had been so distracted this weekend that he completely forgot. Great, another class room he had to find. This time he didn't have Clint to show him the way. So, stopping briefly to ask for directions, Thor and Loki headed to their classes. They had to split at the end of the hall, and Thor hugged Loki goodbye. Loki immediately pushed his brother away, looking appalled.

"I don't even like when you do that in the privacy of my own home," He told Thor. "Never mind when you do it in front of a hall full of people!"

Thor immediately apologized, knowing how his brother was with this sort of thing. But then he smiled and said, "You can say no all you want, but it's still going to happen. Whether you want it or not."

"You know, people who do things like that are usually imprisoned." Loki told him. Thor looked confused before pondering over what he just said. When he finally realized, Loki was grinning like a shark. He turned a little red before turning around and heading to class.

Then Loki pushed his way through the crowds of people. He sort of remembered where the class room was supposed to be. He was pretty sure he had seen it around before. But this was a big school, and Loki had only been there for five days. Luckily, Loki was right. He managed to walk into the class right as the late bell was ringing.

Inside, he was greeted by a wave of weird. There weren't a lot of students in the classroom, but the ones that were there were strange. The first one Loki noticed was a boy in a red beanie. He also was wearing a red sweatshirt. Loki figured this guy had a thing for red. The kid was sitting off to the side of the room talking to himself while staring at another boy. The second boy was also wearing a hat. He had on a red and blue baseball cap with a red shirt and blue skinny jeans. He was surrounded by two girls. The blonde girl was draped over his arm, ginger girl a smug look. Then a blonde boy came over and started talking to the ginger girl, making the boy in the baseball cap tense up. Obviously there was some drama between all of these people and Loki couldn't wait to find out what it was. Because in the end, Loki always found things out.

Two other girls were also in the room, sitting off to the side, holding hands. One was blonde and the other strawberry blonde. Loki couldn't help but think they made a cute couple. No one seemed to notice him yet, and he was unsure of what to do. He was contemplating whether or not to say something to them when the teacher came through one of the other doors in the classroom. She was one of the youngest teachers Loki had seen at this school. She had long strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes, and a warm smile. She noticed him right away and walked over.

"Hi, I'm Ms. Blaire." She told him. "You must be Loki. Welcome to Performing Arts!"


	13. Chapter 13

That's when Loki noticed everyone was staring at him. Even the weird kid who talks to himself. Ms. Blaire told the class, "Guys, this is Loki. He's new. Make him feel at home, okay?" Then she turned back to Loki and said, "Let me introduce you to everyone."

First she walked over to the kid with the baseball cap. "This is Peter Parker." Next she pointed to the blonde girl and said, "That's Gwen Stacy." Then she said "That's Eddie Brock and Mary Jane Watson.", pointing at the blonde boy and ginger girl Loki had noticed earlier. They all did a little nod and wave at Loki, greeting him.

Then Ms. Blaire walked over to the two lesbians. "This is Karolina Dean and Julie Power." The two girls looked up and smiled at Loki saying a simultaneous "Hi." Loki said it back, then followed the teacher to the last student in the room. "Loki, this is Wade Wilson." Then she looked down at the other boy and said "Wade, say hi to our new student, Loki." He looked up and gave Loki a crazy little smile. "Hey." was all he said, before looking away. Loki was sure that this kid was bat shit crazy.

Ms. Blaire told them all to sit down at the big table. It seemed that everyone had assigned seats, or at least had already claimed the seats that they wanted. Unfortunately, the only open seat was next to Wade. So, with a huff, Loki sat down next to the strange boy.

It turns out, Loki didn't actually mind Wade. He talked a lot, but quietly and to himself. Loki found out that he liked listening. The only person Wade seemed to pay attention to was Peter. Loki found that interesting. Besides the lesbians, Loki was pretty sure he was the only person at the table who wasn't falling all over Peter. Gwen and Mary Jane kept giving each other dirty looks. Which just goes to show that boys are nothing but trouble.

And while Loki was almost positive Wade, Gwen, and Mary Jane liked Peter, he wasn't sure about Eddie. One minute, Eddie would be practically kissing Peter's ass, and the next minute, he'd be acting like Peter was his least favorite person in the world. Maybe it was some sort of jealousy thing. Either Eddie wanted to be Peter, Eddie wanted Peter, or Eddie was jealous that Mary Jane liked Peter and not him. Loki would just have to find out. He was a very curious boy.

As for Karolina and Julie, they pretty much ignored everyone. Today, they were learning about music. Ms. Blaire asked Loki if he could play any instruments, which he replied yes. Of _course_ he could. Loki loved music. She asked him what he plays so he told her piano and guitar. She looked pleased.

When it was time for lunch, Loki went to the cafeteria, in search of his friends. He missed them. He wasn't used to having class with people he didn't know. When he found Steve and Bruce, they were happy to see him.

"Hey." He greeted them with a smile.

"Hey you have lunch with us!" Steve smiled back at him. "That's great."

Loki sat down with them, taking out his lunch. After the first two days Loki realized this school didn't have a wide selection of food for vegetarians. He had been packing a lunch ever since.

"So why haven't you been texting anyone?" Bruce asked. "Tired of us already?"

"Of course not." Loki reassured them. "I got my phone taken away until Saturday. I'm grounded."

"Oh good." Steve said, then seeing the look on Loki's face added, "I meant you not being tired of us. Not you getting your phone taken away. That sucks."

Loki was about to agree when someone sat down next to him. He glanced over, expecting to see Clint or Natasha, or even Thor. Instead he got an eye full of Tony Stark. Out of the corner of his eye, Loki noticed Steve turn bright red. He figured this would be a great lunch, even if Clint wasn't here with him.


	14. Chapter 14

The entire week, Tony sat with them at lunch, which is how Loki met Pepper and Darcy. Pepper Potts, whose actual name was Virginia, was Tony's ex girlfriend. She always dressed for success, and you could hear her high heels clacking a mile away. Loki was slightly intimidated by her. She was a very professional young lady, and Loki couldn't imagine why she would ever date someone as wild as Tony. Maybe she just had a thing for bad boys.

Darcy Lewis was the female version of Tony. Loki had actually asked if they were brother and sister, and when they said no he didn't really believe them. She flirted like Tony, she had his sense of humor, sometimes they even said the same thing at the same time. But Pepper confirmed they weren't related at all. Loki also learned that Darcy was best friends with Jane, Thor's girlfriend. She informed Loki that his brother was a "stud-muffin" on more than one occasion.

On the first day that Tony, Pepper, and Darcy sat with them, Steve didn't talk at all. He wouldn't even look at Tony. He just sat there, red in the face, looking like he'd rather be anywhere in the world but there. The second day, he didn't come to school, and Tony looked a little upset. The third day he managed to say hi to Tony and have a brief conversation about the weather. Seriously. They talked about the weather. Because Steve would get too embarrassed at Tony's attempts to flirt with him. Luckily, Tony seemed to have enough sense to try a different approach. The fourth and fifth day, Steve and Tony talked more. They talked about everything and nothing. Loki smiled at them and Tony just winked back, making Steve blush and look away.

That's also how Bruce and Tony became "Science Bros." Or at least that's what Tony called them. They both talked about the most complicated things until no one could keep up with their conversation. All in all, everyone seemed to be getting along fine. But everyday Loki looked for Clint and Natasha. They hadn't been there all week, and no one knew why. When Loki asked Steve and Bruce, they just told him that sometimes they do that. They told him that it was normal and he shouldn't worry. Loki didn't listen. He wanted to know where they were. He didn't even have a phone to text them and ask if they were ok.

He was especially worried about Clint. The last time they had seen each other, Loki kissed him on the cheek. Now he was starting to wonder if Clint wasn't coming to school so he could avoid Loki. That just made him sad and he refused to think about it anymore, which didn't work and ended up being the only thing Loki could think of.

So by the time Friday rolled around, Loki had a million reasons in his head as to why Clint and Natasha weren't in school. Half of the reasons included him. None of them were good. Now Loki was dying to get his phone back so he could find out where the hell they were. They were turning him into a nervous wreck.

The only thing good about this week was that Tony had given Steve his number. Actually he gave it to Loki and Bruce, too so he wouldn't embarrass the blonde boy. Then that lead to Darcy and Pepper giving out their numbers as well. Now he had more friends, so this week wasn't totally horrible. He would just have to hope his father didn't decide to keep his phone longer than he said. Loki didn't think he could wait until Monday to talk to Clint. He needed to straighten some things out with him.


	15. Chapter 15

When Loki finally got his phone back, he hadn't been expecting this many texts. He hadn't even been expecting as many texts as he got on the first day his phone was taken away. Most of the texts were from Clint. First he had been asking about the kiss. When Loki didn't reply, he had asked if he was mad at him. Then it was a lot of apologizing and even a bit of anger. He guessed that Clint didn't appreciate Loki "toying with his emotions" as he put it. Steve and Bruce had sent him several texts, asking him if he was ok. Natasha wanted to know what was wrong. Then she started threatening him if he didn't answer Clint.

That made Loki feel awful. He hadn't been ignoring anyone. It wasn't his fault his phone got taken away. Well, technically it was, but still. It's not like he wasn't talking to them on purpose. After he had seen Bruce and Steve on Monday, they stopped texting him because they knew he was grounded. Apparently they didn't tell Natasha or Clint because he still got texts from them throughout the week. They even called him a couple of times.

So Loki texted the both of them saying "_Hi_", because he wasn't even sure where to start apologizing. Then he waited for a half hour for them to reply, checking his phone every five minutes. When they didn't he texted Clint again saying, "_I need to talk to you. I can explain everything._"

Now guilt was eating away at him. They thought he was mad at them. Loki didn't want to lose his only friends because of some silly misunderstanding. Then he felt his phone vibrating. The message from Clint said "_**Can you meet me at the park? We'll talk.**_"

So Loki grabbed his jacket and put on his converse. He also grabbed his green scarf, because it was cold. And it matched his pants. Green was his favorite colour and he wore a lot of it. Then he went looking for his mother. She was in the kitchen baking. She loved to bake A lot of the time Loki helped her. Not because he liked baking, but because it was something he and his mother could do together. He also made the best chocolate chip cookies. She seemed surprised when he ran in the kitchen.

"Want to help?" She asked, looking back down at the dough in her hands. "I'm making bread. It's a new recipe."

"Actually, Mother, I was wondering if I could go out for a bit." Loki told her, looking at everything but her.

"You what?" She asked skeptically.

"Clint wanted to meet me at the park." He looked at her. She had stopped kneading the dough and was now staring at him with a quizzical look on her face. "It's not that far away from here. A couple of blocks. I wont be gone long."

She was silent for a while before saying "Well, I suppose it's all right. You aren't grounded anymore."

"Thank you! Bye." He gave her a quick hug before leaving the room and heading for the door. Then he texted Clint saying he was on his way. But before he could make it out of the house he heard someone calling his name. He turned around and saw a very confused looking Thor.

"Brother," He said, walking forward. "Where are you going?"

"Out." Loki snapped, turning around and walking for the door.

"Where to?"

"To see my friends."

"Can I come?"

"No!" Loki knew that if he turned around, his brother would look like a kicked puppy.

"But, I never see you any more." Loki could tell by the sound of Thor's voice, that his brother was indeed feeling like a kicked puppy. "We used to have so much fun."

"No Thor," Loki told him. He had one hand on the door handle, not opening it, but not facing Thor either. "You had fun. With your friends. While they bullied me. They called me names and beat me up. And you did nothing. You told me it was 'all in good fun'. So don't preach to me about fun times that were never there."

Then he walked outside and slammed the door. He was already running down the street, in case Thor tried following him. He hadn't really meant to snap at Thor like that, but sometimes Thor only saw what he wanted to see. Why would he want to believe his friends were doing anything to harm his baby brother? Loki didn't stop running until he was through the gate of the park. He looked up and spotted a bruised covered Clint sitting on one of the swings.


	16. Chapter 16

Loki barley noticed the bruises at first because of the way Clint was sitting. He had his hood on was hunching in on himself. Loki only saw the bruises when Clint looked up at him. The entire side of Clint's face was marked up. Loki would bet all his pocket money that under that jacket, there were more bruises. And that just wasn't right. Who did this to Clint? Was that why he hadn't come to school all week? The bruises looked about a week old, so that could be the reason. But then what about Natasha? Did she get beaten up too?

"Clint." Loki whispered. His friend wouldn't look up at him, he just started slowly swinging back and forth. "What happened?"

"No." Clint sounded angry now. "You tell me what happened with your parents first."

Loki couldn't help but think that was a bit childish of Clint, but he told him anyways. He explained how his father got mad and grounded him. He also told Clint that his phone got taken away and he definitely wasn't ignoring him. Suddenly Clint didn't look as mad anymore. Then Loki asked why he and Natasha skipped all week. Clint didn't answer for a while.

"I was waiting for the bruises to fade." Clint told him and Loki's heart shattered. Clint just sounded so broken. "They're going pretty fast, sometimes it takes longer."

"Sometimes?" Loki was shocked. How often did this happen? "Clint what happened?"

"My family. My Dad and my Brother. I guess after Mom died, they blamed me. Ever since, they've been slapping me around a little."

"A little? Clint this doesn't look like a little. I'm pretty sure your nose is broken. And you look like you've been run over with a freight train." Loki told him. Clint just shrugged.

"It's not my first broken bone. And it wont be my last. Trust me, I've looked worse than this before." Clint gave Loki a hollow little laugh.

Loki was in shock. Here Clint was, broken and beaten, and he was acting like it was no big deal. And that meant that all those other times Clint had been absent, this was the reasoning. Did Steve and Bruce know? Loki just wanted to pull Clint into a hug and never let him go. Unfortunately he wasn't sure where their relationship stands. Hell, he hadn't even entirely worked out his feelings. But when he saw that silent plea for help in Clint's eyes, he knew that he felt something for him. Maybe it was because Clint was his first true friend. Maybe it was because Loki had just grown attached to Clint in the short time he knew him. Whatever it was, Loki was feeling something towards him. He just wasn't sure what that feeling was.

So Loki took a chance and reached out for Clint's hand. Their fingers intertwined, and Loki squeezed Clint's hand, reassuringly. Clint just smiled. It was drop-dead gorgeous. Then they just sat there for a while.

"What about Natasha?" Loki asked, breaking the comfortable silence. He was afraid of the answer. "She wasn't at school either. Is she ok?"

Clint laughed. "Oh yeah, Nat's fine. It's just something we do when the other one's hurt. We've got our own Nurse pact going on. If I cant go to school, she stays home and takes care of me. And vice versa."

Loki didn't even realize he was holding his breath. He was relieved to hear that Natasha was fine. "So, do her parents just let her spend the entire week at your house? Or do you go over and stay at hers?"

Clint laughed again and told Loki, "No, man. She lives with me." At Loki's confused look, he explained some more. "Neither of us live with our parents. When you slept over, that was my room. Nat's is just down the hall. At sleepovers, she just likes staying with everyone else. And if I don't let her sleep in the bed, she throws me out of it. So it's just me and her. It has been for a while."

"But how are you guys living there? You're both only 16."

"The landlord doesn't care." Clint started rubbing his thumb over Loki's hand. "As long as he gets his money, he's willing to look the other way. As long as we're not destructive. As for how we pay, well I'll save that story for another time."

Since Clint had already been so open with him, he decided not to press the matter further. But one thing was bugging him. "So that's why you don't get in trouble for missing so much school? They call home and you guys answer the phone?"

"Yep." Clint told him with a big grin.

"Clever, Barton." Loki told him. Then they sat there until it grew dark, just talking. Loki knew it was probably no big deal, but Clint hadn't once let go of his hand. And that made him smile.


	17. Chapter 17

It was dark now and Loki had told his mother that he would be home soon. He never said when he'd be back, so he figured he wouldn't get in trouble. Especially since his father was out of town on business for a few days. But he really should be headed home right now before she got worried. She wasn't used to him going out.

"Hey let me walk you home." Clint said, standing up, still holding Loki's hand.

"If anyone were to walk someone home," Loki told him. "Then _I _should be the one walking _you_ home."

"Just because I look like hell, doesn't mean I cant kick someone's ass if I need to." Loki wasn't too sure if he believed him. Clint looked really bad. But he figured Clint wouldn't have it any other way, so he reluctantly agreed to allow Clint to accompany him on his journey home. Not walking him home, just walking with him to his house. There was a difference. Loki wasn't helpless, he didn't need an escort. He merely enjoyed the company.

They walked in silence, holding hands still. It was peaceful. Comfortable. As much as he enjoyed the quiet, he also wanted to hear Clint's voice. So he struck up a conversation.

"You said you don't actually live with your family?" Loki asked. He wanted to know how his father and brother got to Clint if they weren't living together.

"Tasha's more family than them. But yeah. Why?" Loki couldn't really see his face that well in the dark, but Clint didn't seem like this line of questioning bothered him.

"Well," Loki said awkwardly. "Then how did they find you?"

"It was my fault. I went back to my Dad's place." Clint said, slightly squeezing Loki's hand.

"What? Why would you do that?" Now Loki was confused. Why would Clint risk going back there if he knew there was a possibility of this happening?

"I had to get some stuff I left in my room. When I ran away, I didn't take everything. I couldn't carry it all. And every so often I go back and take what I need."

"But why do they keep it there? Why not just throw it all away?" It would make sense. Loki would throw it out if he had no need for it.

"So I'll come back" Clint sounded sad now. Loki was quiet for a while, so Clint went on, "If my stuff's gone, then I wont come around the house anymore. Then they'll have no one to beat up. But if they keep my stuff there, they know I'll have to come back and get it."

Oh. That made sense. They kept his stuff to get him to come around. Loki wouldn't stand for that. He'd help Clint get his stuff. He wasn't sure how yet, but he would do it. There was no way he would keep letting Clint get smacked around. Loki looked up and realized they had made it back to his house. He wasn't sure whether to just say goodbye to Clint or maybe give him another kiss on the cheek. Or maybe he should go for a little kiss and see how it made him feel. It would make his feelings a lot clearer, after all.

Before he could make up his mind, the front door opened and his mother walked out. Loki quickly pulled his hand free from Clint's. Luckily Clint had done the same thing, neither of them wanting to get caught. Loki wasn't sure if his mother saw. He thought she might assume it if she hadn't seen it because they both looked like deer caught in headlights. Then she gave them both a warm smile and Loki felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. If she knew, she was fine with it. That made Loki happy. But, he didn't know why he expected anything else from his mother. She had always been accepting of Loki. And he really hoped it would always be like that. He may not have his fathers approval, but he would be lost if his mother was ever ashamed of him.

"Are you two just going to stand there, or are you going to come inside?" Frigga asked, looking back and forth between each boy.

Loki was shocked. He hadn't expected that, and his mother rarely caught him off guard. Clint just looked at him questioningly. Loki could think of a million excuses he could make to keep his mother from talking to Clint, but he didn't really want Clint to go home yet. "Would you like to come in?" Loki asked, hesitantly. He would understand if Clint said no. Luckily Clint just nodded and followed Loki into the house.

Loki and Clint followed Frigga into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Clint looked mildly uncomfortable, which made Loki smile. His mother walked over to the refrigerator and opened it.

"Would you like a drink, darling?" She asked Clint.

"Umm yes please." He said quietly.

"Coke? Dr. Pepper? Sprite? Milk? Juice? Water? Coffee? Tea?"

"Dr. Pepper is fine." Clint told her. She grabbed a soda for Clint and an iced tea for Loki. Only his mother knew that tea was one of his favorite things to drink. Loki didn't care too much for soda because it was really bubbly, the only reason they had it in the house was because Thor drank it almost as much as he drank coffee. But for all the caffeine Thor drank, he never seemed affected by it.

"Hello, I'm Frigga." She told Clint, holding her hand out to him.

He shook her hand and said, "I'm Clint. Nice to meet you."

Loki was grateful that his mother didn't mention Clint's bruises. He didn't really want to have that discussion with her. And he was afraid it might make Clint want to leave.

"Oh so _you're_ Clint." She told him, making it sound as if Clint was all Loki talked about. Which made Loki blush. He couldn't believe she would do something like that! She smiled at Loki, knowing she had just found out about his secret crush by his reaction. Loki was great at finding things out, but his mother was better. He had learned it from her, of course. "Well I certainly hope you are as great as Loki says you are. Why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself."


	18. Chapter 18

Loki had expected this evening to be disastrous. Ever since his mother opened the door and saw Clint and Loki holding hands, he just felt a little bit sick to his stomach. He was imagining a whole bunch of things that could go wrong. To his surprise, none of them happened. Actually, it went pretty smoothly. Clint and his mother talked for about an hour, with Loki commenting here and there, mostly staying silent. He listened to their conversation with the utmost interest. They talked about all sorts of things from sports to food to school. There was even some political conversation going on in there, though Loki wasn't exactly sure why they were discussing that.

To Loki's relief, his mother didn't ask if they were dating. That would have been the most awkward conversation of his life. And that would include the 'talk' he received a few years ago. His mother had been as equally embarrassed about explaining sex to him as he was hearing it from her. Thankfully it wasn't his father. Loki shuddered at the idea.

He was lost in thought when his mother said, "Loki! Are you listening?"

"Hmm?" He snapped out of his thoughts and saw both his mother and Clint looking at him expectantly. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking about something. What did you say?"

"I was saying that it's too dark for your friend to walk home alone. Is it okay with you if he sleeps over?"

"If he would like to." Loki said, looking at Clint. He really wanted him to spend the night, and he would be sad if he didn't. But he would understand if Clint said no.

Clint smiled and said, "Sure thing, Loki. You've seen my room. It's only fair that I get to see yours." Then he seemed to realize how that could be taken in the wrong context, so he looked over at Frigga and opened his mouth to explain but she cut him off with, "And no funny business." She smiled at the blushes that crept over their faces. "I could always send Thor in to keep watch."

"No!" Loki said. He didn't want Thor there. That would ruin everything. He didn't want the chance of Clint realizing how much better Thor was. "Don't worry Mother."

Loki was really embarrassed now. He just had to reassure his mother that he and his friend weren't going to have sex. Clint looked equally embarrassed and chose not to say anything. It wasn't everyday that someone's mother told you not to fuck her son.

Frigga started laughing. Then she stood up and wished them a goodnight and left the room, presumably to bed. Clit stared after her for another minute or two, half expecting her to comeback.

"Dude. I think that was the most awkward conversation I've ever had!"

"Yes." Loki nodded. "I cant believe that just happened."

"Your Mom thinks we're gunna do it. She's still letting me sleep over?" Clint pondered while he finished his second soda.

"She trusts me." Loki told him. It was the truth. She knew Loki wasn't the type of boy to just hop in bed with anyone he sees. Maybe she trusts Clint, too. Maybe she can tell he's a gentleman. Whatever the reason, his mother said yes, and he was glad. It was a good thing he cleaned his room a few days ago. At least he wouldn't have to go through more embarrassment by picking up his underwear off the floor in front of Clint. "Want to go upstairs?"

"Yeah sure." Clint said. Before he got up, however, Thor walked into the room. He seemed surprised to see them their. Then he gave them an award winning smile.

"Brother!" He said loudly. That was the only way he talked. Loki wasn't even sure if he had an inside voice. "You did not tell me we had a guest."

"_We_ don't have a guest. _I_ do." Loki said. He really hated his brother. But at the same time he loved him, because he was his brother. Which only made Loki hate Thor more. "Now if you don't mind, we're going to my room."

"But-" Thor started and was cut off by Loki's voice.

"No, Thor. We're going to bed. _Goodnight_."

Loki left the room, Clint following right behind. He heard Clint and Thor exchange goodnights quietly. Then they walked upstairs and into Loki's room.

"That big bumbling oaf!" Loki exclaimed.

"Oh come on." Clint said, a little awkwardly. "I'm sure he's fine."

"No. He's cocky and arrogant and stupid and I don't see how anyone can like him. But they do. Everyone does. His girlfriend, Jane, is a genius. I don't even know why they're in the same class, Thor's just so _stupid_."

"First of all, they're in the same class because our school mixes people, it doesn't segregate them. If they did, you and I wouldn't be in the same classes. You'd be with Jane. And we wouldn't have met."

"Clint I didn't mean-" Loki started to apologize for accidentally calling him stupid. He didn't mean it, Clint was a very smart guy. Not the same type of smart as Loki, but smart in his own way. More street smart than book smart. But Clint, ignored Loki and continued talking.

"Secondly, I don't." Loki looked at him confused. "You said everyone likes Thor. Well I don't. I like you."


	19. Chapter 19

"Oh." Was all that Loki said. Later he would feel stupid at his response, but too many thoughts were swirling through his head for him to think about it right now. Clint could've meant that in two ways. The first way being 'I like you, you're a great friend', and Loki would be eternally friend zoned. The second way being 'I like you, like you.' He wasn't really sure what to do next. If he asked Clint which way he meant it, then he would be crushed if he said the first way.

"So?" Clint asked after they stood there for what felt like hours to Loki. In all reality, it was probably only a minute, but it felt like much, much longer.

"Umm. So what?" Loki said, not really sure what Clint was looking for.

"So," Clint shifted from foot to foot, looking a little embarrassed now. "Say something. Like 'I like you too!' or 'Sorry, I'm not into you' or maybe even a 'I'll think about it and get back to you on it.' Just something besides 'Oh.', okay?"

Then Loki started to laugh. It was a soft little chuckle, and completely inappropriate if the disappointed look on Clint's face was anything to go by. He couldn't really help it, but the mood in the room was so serious that Loki just kind of snapped a little. Then he stopped and stared into Clint's eyes. He slowly leaned forward, just enough that all Clint had to do was tilt his head a little, and they would be kissing.

When their lips pressed together, Loki felt the warmth from Clint's mouth beeline straight for his chest and lodge its way into his heart. This new sensation was warm and tingly, and he couldn't help but think that he could get used to this. The kiss was slow and hesitant. Not like at Clint's sleepover. That had been a dare, and Loki assumed Clint had confidence because of it. But this was different because this was real. If that made sense, which Loki wasn't sure it would if he were to speak his theory out loud to anyone.

Breaking the kiss off eventually when the need for air became too great, the two boys just stared at each other.

"So," Loki said with a hint of mockery in his voice. "I like you, too, I guess."

Clint smiled and kissed Loki again, just a quick little peck on the lips. It left Loki wanting more. But, he decided he shouldn't rush things. There were certain things Loki just wasn't ready for yet. Like sex. He knew most 16 year olds already lost their virginity. But he wouldn't do it just to fit in. Loki had never given in to peer pressure before, and he wouldn't start now.

"That's good." Clint smiled at him, still looking a little awkward. Loki thought it was adorable.

"You need pajamas." Loki said suddenly.

"What?" Clint said, confused. Loki felt a little bad ruining the moment, but it kind of just slipped out of his mouth.

"Pajamas. Lets find some." Loki went over to look in his drawer. He wasn't sure if Clint would fit into his clothes. Clint was shorter than Loki, but he was also wider. Not fat, just broader. More muscular. Luckily, Loki liked his sleepwear baggy, so Clint fit right into them. Loki went to a different room to change, because he didn't feel comfortable enough with his body to do it in front of Clint.

Ten minutes later, they were both ready for a scary movie marathon. Loki was wearing silky black pants with a matching top. Clint had picked out simpler pajama's, choosing fuzzy green bottoms and a plain white top. They snuck downstairs to make some popcorn and raided the kitchen for snacks. Now they were sitting side by side on Loki's bed, drinking Clint's delicious homemade smoothies and eating an assortment of unhealthy snacks.

Loki had never been a big fan of scary movies, so he let Clint pick out the first one. It turned out to be a horrible idea. But at least Clint's hand intertwined with Loki's when the movie started, and didn't let go until the end. And only then so he could put in another movie.


	20. Chapter 20

Needless to say, Loki didn't sleep well that night. It's not that he was _scared_, because he didn't get scared. He was just a little nervous. Not that it was his fault. It was completely Clint's fault. Clint was the one who had wanted to watch the 'Saw' movies. After the third one, Frigga had come in silent as a mouse, scaring both boys half to death. She told them that it was almost two in the morning and that they needed to go to sleep. Neither of them had complained. They were so tired that they were practically asleep on each other. Loki had his head on Clint's shoulder while Clint was resting his head on top of Loki's.

Since Loki had a king sized bed, they decided that they could both sleep in it together. It made Loki a little nervous, but he pushed that feeling deep down and slammed the door on it. Clint wasn't that type of person. If Loki said no, Clint wouldn't do anything. So, no need to worry. Loki started off on one side of the bed, with Clint on the other. It didn't stay like that for long, however.

"Loki," Clint's voice came in a whisper from somewhere in the dark. "Maybe scary movies weren't the best things to watch."

Loki let out a little chuckle. Clint was just as scared as he was, and that made him feel better. Not scared, Loki reminded himself. The dark was just a little nerve-wracking. He felt the bed shift a little as Clint moved closer. Loki took a chance and moved a little closer, too. "Well, it was your brilliant idea. So I blame you if we die tonight." Loki smiled at Clint's laugh.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you." Clint said, placing his hand on Loki's slender hip. Loki's heart stopped, before beating rapidly in his chest. Clint didn't move the hand, he just let it rest there. Loki wondered if he should say something or not. On one hand, he wanted those strong hands all over his body, but on the other hand, he just wasn't ready for that. At all. So, he compromised, and let Clint's hand stay on his hip.

"Goodnight." Loki told him, his voice so quiet that he wasn't even sure if Clint had heard him. Then Clint had said it right back, giving the hip a squeeze. If only he could fall asleep. But no, instead he was lying in bed thinking. Thinking about Clint and the kiss and the little confession and people playing horrible, horrible death games. But finally, after what seemed like forever, Loki drifted off into a restless slumber. It wasn't long before a nightmare woke him up.

His eyes flashed open only to be greeted by complete darkness. Thrashing around, he realized someone was holding him. Loki was about to fight them off when he heard a familiar voice saying, "Shh. Shh. Shh. Loki calm down. You're ok." Clint. Oh. Loki stilled and slumped into Clint's grip. He may have stopped moving, but that didn't mean he had calmed down. On the inside, his heart was beating fast and his brain was a turmoil of thought. "Wanna talk about it?" Clint asked as he started rubbing Loki's back, soothingly.

"What?" Loki asked confused.

"Your dream. Nightmare. Want to tell me about it?" He said hesitantly and added, "I hear it helps. You know, getting things off your mind."

Loki wasn't sure if he wanted to tell Clint. Now was his chance to be open about things. But what if Clint rejected him for it? So he figured a half-truth would be better than a lie. So he told Clint the basics, leaving out certain details.

"I was in a dark room. More of a cave, really. I was lying on the floor, tied up and naked. Then that creepy 'Saw' clown puppet came on a TV next to me and talked." Loki paused, not wanting to tell Clint what the puppet had said and hoping he wouldn't ask. "Then stuff started dripping onto my face. It burned, like acid. But no matter how much I tried I just couldn't get away."

"Well, first of all, no more scary movies for you." Clint replied after a moment. Loki just chuckled a little despite his awful mood. "Second of all, that would never happen. Jigsaw only punishes people who deserve it. And you don't. So, you're safe."

Loki didn't say anything. He knew Clint was wrong. He did deserved to be punished, but Clint didn't need to know that. That was all in the past. This was a new beginning, and he wasn't going to let a guilty conscience ruin it. So, instead, he just snuggled into Clint a little more, and let strong hands rub his back until he fell asleep.


	21. Chapter 21

Two weeks later, and Loki could finally say he had the best boyfriend ever. It was his first boyfriend ever, but Clint was still the best. They hung out more often, which was about the only thing that changed. Oh, and the kisses. So many kisses. Loki quickly found out that Clint was a very affectionate person. He was always kissing Loki, or holding his hand, or hugging him. Not that Loki minded, of course. He enjoyed the attention. It made him feel special.

So getting a boyfriend was the best thing that had happened to Loki in the past two weeks. The second best thing had been Steve and Tony. They were also spending more time together. In fact, when he saw Steve, Tony wasn't far behind, and vise versa. It was clear that they liked each other. Loki just hoped one of them would finally get the balls to ask the other one out. If it didn't happen soon, he would have to do something about it. He wasn't sure what he'd do, but something needed to be done.

All in all, everyone was happy for Loki and Clint. Well, everyone except for Thor. For two weeks, he managed to keep the fact that they were dating a secret. Not that he was hiding it, if Thor asked, he would've been glad to tell him. But he didn't ask, so Loki didn't tell. But sure enough, Thor found out on his own.

"Brother!" Thor exclaimed, barging into Loki's room. Why didn't this blonde oaf have boundaries? "I would have words with you."

"Thor. How many times have I told you to _knock_? The door was closed because I don't want people in here." Loki told him, getting mad.

"My new friend, Fandral, from school has told me something about you. I would like to know if he speaks the truth." Thor said seriously. It was a rare occasion for Loki to see his brother serious. That was always Loki's job. Loki didn't say anything, so Thor continued, "Are you dating a man?"

"What?" Loki asked, genially surprised. He figured it would take a while for Thor to find out.

"He has heard from someone else that you-" Thor started, only to be cut off by Loki.

"He heard it from someone? And then told you? Now you're asking me?" Loki laughed. "That's how rumors get spread, Brother."

"So it's not true you are dating your friend, Clint?" Thor asked, seeming to relax a little.

"Oh no. It's true. Does that bother you, Thor? I never pegged you to be the homophobic type." He said, noticing the way Thor's shoulders slightly tensed. "Not when you always have so many muscular men around you."

"I'm not!" Thor mumbled. "I just wanted to-"

"No, Thor!" Loki yelled at him. Now he was mad. How dare he come in here and act like it wasn't ok for Loki to be with another man. "I don't care. Get out. Now!"

"But I didn't mean-"

"No. Leave."

"Brother, I'm sorry for whatever I may have done." Thor told him, stepping closer, trying to put a hand on Loki's shoulder.

"For whatever you have done?" Loki scoffed. "You barge in here, telling me what you think is right and wrong, and you don't even know what you have to apologize for?"

Loki had enough. He needed to get out of there, now. He stormed past Thor, ignoring his brothers protests, and left the house. Loki had somewhere to be, he didn't need to stay there and listen to Thor. So, maybe he would end up arriving a little early at Clint's place. But he knew Clint didn't mind. Besides, today was the day that they were going to get the rest of Clint's stuff back from his Dad's house. He called the driver to come pick him up, then headed to get Natasha and Clint. Loki was hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. He could only pray that nothing went wrong today. Maybe for once, luck would be on his side.


	22. Chapter 22

"You're early!" Natasha said, opening the door for Loki.

"Yeah. Sorry?" Loki replied. Natasha just laughed.

"It's fine. Come in." She stepped aside, letting him in. "Maybe you can help Clint. He's kind of freaking out about this whole thing."

"Where is he?" Loki asked. Even he could hear the tone of worry in his voice. Natasha gestured down the hall to Clint's room. Like always, Loki knocked before entering. "Clint?"

The door swung open, and Clint stood there looking tense. "Hey." He said to his boyfriend unenthusiastically. Then he dove into Loki for a hug.

"It will be fine." Loki reassured him, stroking his short blonde hair. "We'll be in and out quick. Then you'll never have to see them again. Ok?"

Loki just hoped that was true. Clint had said that no one would be at his Father's house today. Loki, Clint, and Natasha would sneak in, take the rest of Clint's stuff, and leave. Then Clint would never have to see them again. They would never touch Clint again. Loki wouldn't let them. He would make sure Clint was safe. Loki's words of comfort seemed to calm Clint a little, and he relaxed and pulled out of the hug.

"I guess we should go. No point in waiting, right?" Clint gave a nervous little laugh. It broke Loki's heart. He just wanted to make his boyfriend happy. Loki didn't like seeing Clint like this.

So, less than ten minutes later, they had a whole bunch of boxes and bags packed into the car and were driving away. They made small talk, with Natasha asking the driver a few questions every now and again. When they finally got to Clint's Dad's house, Loki felt a little of the weight he didn't know was on his shoulders being lifted. There was no car in the drive way, which was a good sign. Clint got out, telling Natasha and Loki to wait there. Loki was about to protest, but Natasha gave him a warning look that left no room for argument. Clint had knocked on the door several times before finally picking the lock. It was a good thing that this house was the only inhabited one on the street, otherwise someone probably would've called the cops on them for breaking and entering.

Loki helped Natasha unload the boxes and bags into the house. He told his driver to wait in the car, since he didn't really feel comfortable asking him to help. If Loki thought the outside of the house was trashy, it was nothing compared to the inside. Clothes were scattered across the floor, dishes were in the sink, the house smelt. Clint noticed the sour look on Loki's face and told him, "It wasn't this bad when I was here. I'm the only one who ever cleaned."

"It's true." Natasha agreed. "He's the one who cleans our house."

"Oh really?" Loki asked, following them into what he assumed to be Clint's old room. "You make such a lovely house wife. Tell me, do you cook, too?"

"Oh, ha _ha_. Laugh all you want, but I'm an amazing cook." Clint said, turning around to punch Loki lightly on the arm and then give him a peck on the lips.

"You'll have to show me sometime." Loki said, smirking at him.

"Enough, lovebirds. Lets just get this over with before someone comes home." Natasha said giving them a disapproving look. Again. She usually did, but sometimes Loki would see just a hint of a smile on her lips afterwards.

They got to work right after. Turns out, Clint had a lot of stuff. A lot of clothes, a lot of shoes, even a few hats. Videogames, movies, other miscellaneous items like toy soldiers from Clint's childhood. Even if Clint didn't need some of this stuff anymore, he still took it. It was his, and he was taking it all. Once they had everything packed, they roamed the house looking for money. Loki felt a little guilty for that, but Clint deserved it. He still wasn't sure how Natasha and Clint paid for everything, but he was fairly certain they didn't get it this way.

Lastly, Clint wrote a note and left it on the kitchen table. Loki didn't read it, and he ignored the tears that streamed down his boyfriends face because of it. Once they were back in the car, Loki held Clint's hand. He couldn't imagine what this was like for him. All he knew was that he never, _ever_ wanted to see Clint cry again. From the looks of it, Natasha was feeling the exact same thing. God help whoever had to suffer her wrath.


	23. Chapter 23

"But Steve," Tony said in a whiny voice. "They look disgusting!"

"I don't care, Tony. Eat them. They're good for you." Steve said, looking down at Tony's almost empty tray.

For the past five minutes, Loki had listened to them argue over the school lunch. Apparently Tony didn't like peas. Obviously, Steve didn't care. Loki was curious as to who would win this argument. Both men were pigheaded and stubborn. It was only a matter of who would back down first. Loki decided to help things along.

"You're right. They look appalling." Loki said, interrupting them.

"See?! Even Loki agrees with me." Tony smirked triumphantly. "I don't have to eat them."

"Oh I never said that." Loki told Tony, watching the smirk drop from his face. "They are really good for you. Growing boys need their vegetables."

That started off a whole new round of arguing. Loki occasionally threw in comments supporting both men's arguments. It was fun. He hadn't done this in a very long time. Usually it was with Thor and his old friends back in England. Of course, things got out of hand quickly with Thor. He had a habit of thinking he was always right, which is one of the many, many reasons Loki hates him.

"Loki." A disapproving voice from behind him. It could only belong to one person. Loki turned around and smiled broadly at his boyfriend. Clint just shook his head, trying not to let anyone notice the smile that threatened to cross his lips. "Will you stop egging them on? Tony just eat the peas, they're not that bad."

"But-" Tony started, only to be cut off by Steve.

"No 'Buts'. Eat them." Steve said.

"Fine. I'll eat them, if you give me a kiss." Tony told Steve with a huge smile plastered on his smug face. Loki swore Steve choked on the milk he had been drinking. Everyone else just smiled, they had all been waiting for this. The first kiss. Loki knew Steve wanted it to happen, he just hoped he wouldn't say no because Tony had asked in front of everyone.

"Ok." Steve said in a quiet voice. Tony's eyes widened. Obviously he hadn't been expecting Steve to agree that quickly. Before anyone could say anything else, Steve leaned in and pecked Tony on the lips. It was so fast that Loki didn't even see it coming.

"Now eat your peas." Steve said. His face was redder than Loki had ever seen it.

"But that was barley even a kiss!" Tony protested.

"Then maybe you'll get a better one later." Steve said, getting up and walking away, with a blush that crept all the way down his neck.

Tony just stay there, dumbfounded. No one had expected any of that to happen. They all figured Tony would make the first move, because Steve was so shy. It made Loki happy that things were progressing with his friends. He looked over at Pepper and Natasha who were sitting together. Pepper looked shocked while Natasha looked pleased. Loki didn't doubt that Natasha had been talking Steve into doing that for a while.

And just like that, Tony ate the peas without complaint like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Well," Tony said after the silence became too awkward for him. "If that's what I get for eating my veggies, I'm gunna have to do that more often."

"I can't believe that just happened." Pepper said, with a soft smile on her face. "It was so adorable. I think I ship you two together…Is that wrong?"

"Wrong? My ex-girlfriend thinking I should get together with a guy?" Tony laughed. "Nah, that's _perfectly_ fine."

"I agree with Pepper." Natasha said. Which was strange. Usually if Natasha agreed with someone on something small like this, she didn't bother saying anything about it. Now that he thought about it, Pepper and Natasha had been hanging out a lot lately. Maybe there was something there. Loki would have to ask about it later.

"Yeah, man." Clint said, reaching out to place a hand on Loki's knee. Loki felt his heart skip a beat. "It was super cute. Go get your man!"

"I think I will. You think I can get him to use tongue?" Tony asked, with a devilish look in his eyes. "Or should I take him out for dinner and a movie first? Actually I was joking, but that sounds like a great idea."

Tony got up and left in the direction Steve had gone. Loki just smiled. Clint's hand started stroking up and down his thigh. Loki could've sworn it was easier to breathe a second ago. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest, because Clint was getting awfully close to _that_ area. In the middle of the cafeteria. With their friends sitting around them. Suddenly the hand was gone. Loki wasn't sure if he was happy or sad about that. Maybe a little bit of both? Mostly happy, though, because if it hadn't stopped soon, then certain things would be waking up to play. And then it would get awkward, fast. So, Loki just sat their and finished his lunch, still feeling like all of the nerves in his thigh were on fire.

"Loki! Are you going to Tony's party?" Pepper said, interrupting his train of thought. "He was supposed to ask you today, but something tells me he wont remember. Everyone else is going."

Loki would have to beg his Mom. Hopefully she said yes. But now he had friends, and he wanted to hang out with them. After all, he had never been to a party before, maybe this would be fun.


End file.
